As many of you are probably aware, we were engaged in a dispute with a former record label over our album Trophies, and the fact that the label still owned the record despite never paying us for the units sold. Well, we’re happy to tell you that today, Trophies is back the hands of her rightful owners: us.

Yes, thanks to the glorious stink you guys made on Reddit and all over the internet, the rights to our record were returned to us. It’s up on iTunes right now, and every sale henceforth will go directly to us!

This made me sick! I understand that the most important thing is getting your music out, but if hard working bands keep getting screwed over then how will you make a living doing what you love? You should fight this!

Unfortunately the world isn’t so kind as to let everyone make a living doing what they love. I wish it weren’t this way, but–and this is coming from an artist–the world does not owes us anything for our creativity (unless of course you’re talking commercial arts; whole other arena). Best we can do is keep on creating and hope that enough people love it enough to keep funding us. As far as being slighted by their record company, you’re right, they totally should fight it!

I heard you guys play at the edge studio in Toronto and you gave me a free shirt and cd. I really like your music and appreciate that you make songs for the fun of making music. I look forward to hearing this album and I’ll certainly buy a cd from you guys next time I hear you play.

I have never heard your music but I will give it a listen. This is the model of distribution that I want to support. You should add a donation link so you can still get some gas money without supporting the dying distribution model that is robbing the artists. Keep up the good fight.

Great idea, but I hope your record company doesn’t sue you now for copyright infringement. Sad thing about being signed…you don’t own your music anymore. Hope you talked to your lawyers first…but I really hope you do well with this, because it’s great what you’re doing. I’ve been in bands on labels, and know people who’ve also been on labels, and I’ve yet to see an example of a label actually helping someone.

Hey guys. sending love from the USA. You guys sound awesome and its a shame how you got screwed over. But, You name is out there this way and your Free Album has been linked in the popular website Reddit.com. On a side note, The “Free Download” link doesn’t work with Google Chrome. Or atleast for me.

This is why i don’t feel bad about file sharing music. Even if the record label do pay an artist, the artiest(s) won’t make much money off of their record sales. For any band (including Paper Lions) I would suggest selling their albums on http://bandcamp.com where you can set your price (including name your own price) and make the profits yourself, as opposed to a small percentage or none.

Hate to say this, but you guys are lining yourselves up for a bad day in court with the record label. See an entertainment lawyer, immediately. Do it not for the money you should be receiving, but to save yourself the thousands of dollars in penalties that the record label will sue you for over this stunt. See a lawyer, prove that your label is breaking with the contract by not paying you, get your copyrights back and THEN release the album for free.

Phillip, it’s an interesting concept that the copyright owner, Paper Lions, could be sued for piracy for distributing their own product. I don’t think it’s a valid concept, but interesting terminology, similar to when someone gives a handmade gift to someone and doesn’t pay taxes to the government for the privilege of giving a gift, that is theft from the government since the government is presumed to own everything and you are its slave. Likewise, the presumption in the claim that musicians who give away their own tracks are pirates or thieves presumes that all music written by artists de facto belongs to corporations and not the artists, regardless of copyright.

John – Most, if not all, record contracts require that the artists hand over the copyrights of the album that they are distributing. It’s just how business is done in the music industry. Considering that they don’t even feel like fighting their contract with the label over a legitimate dealbreaker, these artists don’t seem like the savvy type capable of negotiating a deal that would have allowed them to keep their copyrights in the first place.

i think more artists should do this. and set up a paypal account for donations. I would give in a heartbeat. paypal will keep a lot less than record companies. the band would get more. RIAA are thieves and pretend they are fighting for the little guy.

Not sure if it’s against your contract or not, but perhaps you could put a ‘donate here’ button on your site, as an aside from the free download. Had you offered it for $2 or perhaps even $5, I would have paid, simply to support this type of decision. Good luck to you!

I’m an attorney and I’m more than happy to take a look at your contract for free and see if we can sue your record label on the cheap or on contingency, with no upfront cost. Call me at 212-695-8100.
-Marcus

That’s horrid that you we’re approached for your music and never saw any royalties or checks from your label.
I appreciate the music industry and what you musicians have to put up with to get “noticed”
Keep up the good work!

Please mention the recording company, and the people involved with it. Please include their pictures to be extra thorough, so others can be forewarned never again to deal with the likes of such. Good Luck.

Waaahhhmbulance alert. Just download it off of the internet somewhere. It is free now anyways so you don’t have to feel bad about it. If you were really keen on hearing some new music you would listen to it on Youtube. Done deal.

Heard of you guys via reddit. As of this moment, I have no idea what your music sounds like, but I’m looking forward to hearing it – I’m always on the lookout for new stuff. Thanks for making this available.

Sitting here in my apartment in Manila in the Philippines surfing the web visiting one of my favorite sites, “jimmyr.com” and there is a line about a free album and I’m interested so off I go. I’m sent to your site read the story so and think that sucks but I take you up on the offer and download, presently I’m listening as I type this, and what catches my eyes are your tour dates and with further investigation you’re up for ECMA’s, damn, you see I’m from New Brunswick. Thank you for a bit of the Maritimes, you don’t know what you have until you don’t have it any more. Best of luck and when I’m back home I’ll look to see if you’re playing locally

This is the first time I’ve ever heard of you guys, but please know you have my full support. Your music is awesome and you deserve to have your name known, let alone receive your pay checks for your hard work. This is ridonkulous. Good luck guys!

No, just some dude who doesn’t like viral marketing, at least when it’s dishonest. I had to do a lot of digging to find they were associated with The Musebox, their label MB3, and distributed by EMI, which I did because something just didn’t seem right. I have a hard time believing anyone is careless enough to ignore a distribution deal with a large company like EMI. I could be totally wrong, but it just looks fishy to me. And yes, I’m sure they’ve at least gotten enough page views, downloads, and new fans to fund their next production and gets lots of people to show up to their shows. Good for them, but I really don’t like the way they seem to be going about it. I’m going to have to try this with my band’s next album.

Hate to see them treat you like that. Artists deserve to be fairly compensated for their work. You guys rocks! I didn’t know who you were before today, but now I’m a fan. Best of luck recording your next album, hopefully this time the profits will flow straight to you, the way it SHOULD BE.

Love the music! Any chance for a few extra loonies I could get a flac version rather than MP3. And I am so glad to see that you are starting a bandcamp page. Perhaps it will be there in the near future.

i am pissed this happened! there must be lawyers that would help with this and take cash from the settlement they win for you!
dont let these asses win!!!
i never donate!
so pissed, i donated!!!
make lots of music!
make lots of money!
make more music!
good luck!

Send your story and a copy of your CD (by mail) to your congressmen. Let them know that your label doesn’t represent you as an artist, and tell them how you feel about issues such as piracy and the legislation that organizations like the RIAA is trying to get through congress.

Get together with other artists who are similarly giving their stuff away and link to each other’s sites. Call yourselves an “off-record label”. Find sites promoting “Black March”, a full-spectrum boycott of all media, and tell them about yourselves and how you think that, beyond people boycotting things people are against, like the RIAA, deliberately supporting those whose business models they DO like will help give their efforts more impact.

As a group you guys can write a letter to congress, signing all of your names at the bottom. Send copies of the letters to news organizations, and post the letters online.

As for the lawyer bit – call up some attorneys. There are those out there who are willing to take on cases under a “we don’t get paid unless you win” deal if they think it’s strong enough.

As a musician and former venue owner, I understand your predicament. This a travesty and it needs to be dealt with as quickly as you guys can come up with the money. Lawyers don’t cost that much, in comparison, and once you win (you WILL win) they pay the court and lawyer fees, as well. I say, do several benfit shows in towns or cities where you have a sympathetic following and raise that money!

Hey guys,
So sorry to hear of your experience with the Label. I’m not surprised but I’m still disgusted. I’ll tell you what. I know I can’t compensate for all the a-holes out there, but I’d like to help you out by giving you an opportunity to record your next album with us at a 50% discount from our regular prices. Here you won’t get screwed over, but you will get ongoing support.
Cheers,
Gilles Roger
Producer/Recording Engineer
2Dogs Productions
Fredericton, NB